Solar EV Charging Station Does It With Flair

If you thought electric car charging stations were boring, or ugly for that matter, you might be surprised to set your gaze upon the new Solar Sail Charging Station, just outside Austin, Texas. Designed by New York City based company, Pvilion and powered by Uni-Solar products, the station looks more like an art installation than a power source.

The Solar Sail is the first of its kind and is located at the entrance to the town of Pflugerville’s Renewable Energy Park. Uni-Solar‘s lightweight, flexible laminates are attached to stainless steel sheets that are twisted and tensioned to create the canopy. The 1,600-watt Solar Sail is south-facing, with each individual Uni-solar panel positioned at a different angle to optimize the amount of electricity produced.

image via Pvilion

The amount of electricity produced from this Solar Sail is enough to charge two electric cars per day. The sail is also connected to the power grid, which means any unused electricity gets fed back into the grid. The Solar Sail also features integrated LED RGB lighting, making it even more attractive.

The Solar Sail is part of a plan set forth by the Pflugerville Community Development Corporation to attract green technology companies to the city.

“Pvilion’s Solar Sail provides electric car manufacturers and charging station companies with a visual landmark attraction—the wow factor—that has been missing,” Todd Dalland, co-founder and president of Pvilion, said in a statement. “It promotes clean energy with enhanced design, solar panel technology and owner experience; a true game changer in the marketing of electric cars and solar panels.”

Kristy Hessman is a writer and native Oregonian who currently resides in California. Before starting her own company, she worked as a reporter covering business and politics for daily newspapers and The Associated Press.